Well, First of all, I picked up a cursed -1 Longsword that cursed me. And when I went to a Priest in a church to get it removed, but because i am of a Chaotic Neutral alignment he charged a rediculous price. Some words were exchanged and he casted an instect swarm at me. I ran away and took some damage and am in need of curse removal spell from you Sergio. It doesnt cost you any reagents or anything. I figured I would wrap the sword in cheap cloth, then put it in a chest with a letter saying that it is cursed. Then have Jordan's mage put a magic lock on it, or just a regular one and bury it in the woods near Ishka. I dont want anyone else to have my misfortune.

Secondly, Chris asked me to synopsis his game. the last battle was pretty epic, except for the fact that i went unconscious early on. So I will have it up soon, with a un known name. i have to think of something cool like my, "Cloudy With A Chance Of Frostwolves" but having to do with 6 or there being multiple pieces. so that will be coming and please get back to me about the curse.

Thanks. and by the way we made about 2361 gold apiece. We got a +1 Shortsword for me, so now I have 2 +1's. Then Spencer got this rediculous-ly awesome necklace of prayer beads. It gives a +25% chance on spells working, and it has 4 special beads.

A Bead of Atonement, which casts the 5th lvl spell of the same name.
2 Beads of Curing which cures Blindness, Disease, or Serious Wounds.
A Bead of Karma, which increases the stuff that says "per level of priest" by four.

Then we got a Potion of Vampire Control, which is in your backpack.
And a Book of Sucessful Excerise or something like that. It increases your strength by 1, but no one got anything good with +1 strength so we sold it for 5k gold.

The best tool you need to be a good theif or any character is to use your creativity and intelligence to come up with new and unusual character abilities. Like the countinus light pebbles and the massmorph spell well sleeping. I think Sergio came up with both of those.

I am thinking of making my on world just for fun but I was planning on doing it in 3 or 4 edition depending on which books I can find. Anybody know were a good spot to find books is?

4th edition you could find in any big book story, like Barnes and Noble. 3rd edition is out of print now too, so you'd have to look around. The Source, where me and chris went, has books from every edition.

If you wanted to make your world in a new edition I'd suggest 4th since those books are readily available and it's pretty much just an upgraded 3rd edition.

Oh, and unfortunately I did not come up with either of those amazing ideas, I wish I had. Mike L. invented light pebbles, and Andy K. in combination with his group came up with massmorph at night. I did come up with the guild though, I think that's a decent idea _________________

If you want to be inventive, look at a probem, then find a solution. We couldn't sleep on shifts so we used fishhooks in a large wooden box inside the portable hole to warn us when enemies were close in a dungeon. Worked really well, until something flying came and it didn't help outside the dungeons. After reading massmorph, actually reading it, we realized though not offensive, it's incredibly useful.

A keep for inspiration that I've kept in hiding for a long time. Enjoy for ideas.

MY CASTLE DESIGN
----------------

(Source unknown)

The campaign that this adventure took place in had an average amount of gold, magic, and level advancement: 12th level MUs didn't grow on trees, 18th level MUs were very rare. This was also 1st ed, with minor enhancements.

The character who built the castle is Hym, an Elven fighter/MU of 7th and 12th levels (and years of playing invested in him).

After developing a friendship with a very large and powerful community of Elves, he decided to build his abode on the edge of their border - right next to a large and powerful community of orcs. The Orcs numbered in the tens of thousands with leaders of 10HD+ as well as giants, shamans, etc. The Elves agreed to assist Hym.

Hym's goals:
1. Quickly build a defensible position to withstand Orcish attacks while the
rest of the construction continued.
2. Construct a castle that would withstand the assault of an Orcish army
(5000+) before it can be organized to attack him.
3. The finished castle would be his home, and home to his henchmen and
colleagues. It should be able to resist the attack of a party of 15th
level characters.
4. Spend no more than 60,000 gp.

PHASE 1: THE CONSTRUCTION

The site that Hym chose was the tip of land that formed a Y in the large river considered to be the boundry line. The river was wide and powerful on either side of this point and the land rose sharply from the river. The river provided a strong barrier to invasion, assisted in the transport of construction materials to the site, and when the project was complete, Hym would control the waterborne traffic. Most castles had wooden palisades 300 feet outside their curtain walls for the first defense. Hym didn't have room for these, but intended to use the rivers for a similar purpose.

Hym contracted with two architects. Neither was aware of the other. The first worked on the site and consulted on all exterior design issues. The second was not aware of Hym's true identity, never actually saw the location, and was only consulted with the interior of the keep. Hym felt that it was very important to work with an architect: he isn't an expert at such things and his structure would need every advantage he could give it if it was to survive earthquakes, horns of blasting, etc!

Hym first covered the site area with Hallucinatory Terrain spells in order to hide the initial phase of construction. Then he and several other Elves cast a number of Walls of Stone to create the curtain walls of the castle. These walls were thin, long, and overlapping (to minimize effect of dispel magic). To this they added a layer of Wall of Iron (to prevent passwall, etc). The orcs were not yet aware of the construction activity, but in order for the next step to begin the hallucinatory terrain had to be dispelled. Contracted stone masons, etc began to build a real stone wall around the magical one. Hym and friends sped up construction with certain spells: enlarge, dig, polymorph, levitate, tensers floating disk, etc. Too bad my friend the bard (with his lyre of building wasn't around!). Also, at this time the full garrison was present along with a significant Elvan detachment (200+), and enough supplies to last for a month.

Next, Hym summoned an Earth elemental to begin digging a short channel between the two branches of the river that were divided by the land the castle was to be located on. When that was complete, and it took several castings, the site was now an island. At this point only a well organized Orcish invasion would stop Hym.

An Earth elemental was again summoned to build up the mound that the keep was rest upon.

The keep was built like the curtain walls: with a magical interior and a stone exterior. However, lead leaf was added as a layer in certain areas of the keep. This was an inexpensive addition since the lead goes an amazingly long way and the labor isn't too costly. Iron bars were added to this construction to provide additional stability, and though I was never able to quantify the benefit, I would have hollared for a bonus in case of earthquake!

Pixie friends of the Elves created a permanent illusion over the curtain walls that made them appear ten feet taller. This allowed the wall defenders to fire missile weapons without being seen - for a while, anyway. ( Hallucianry Terrain )

A palaside was set up to create a defensible pasture land between the curtain wall and the channel.

A very large rope was purchased, a raft was constructed, and a pulley system set up so that the raft normally sat in the channel, but could be pulled to the Elvan side of the river. Either land-based power could be used to pull on the rope, or raft attendants could pull on the rope. When not in use it was below the surface of the river.

PHASE II: THE FINISHING TOUCHES

1. Hym began guerilla attacks into the Orcish area, with the sole intent of
capturing orcs, and then Polymorph Othering them into:
Elfin Cats, Cooshe (both of which are great guards against invisible
opponents)
Pegasi (which he encouraged to mate in order to have non-dispellable
mounts)
Basilisks, Carrion Crawlers, Rust Monsters, etc. (basically any unusual
creature that would often end up as part of a trap.)
More intelligent evil creatures were changed into:
Quickwood trees (absolutely terrific spies)
Treants
Giant Owls
Giant Eagles
2. Iron Fire-trap boxes were installed on the walls in vital areas. These boxes
could be opened by guards in the murder holes above by simply pulling a
cable. The plan was to do this after dropping clay pots of oil first.
3. Continual Light spells were cast on the opposite shores of the river, then
along the curtain walls, in the courtyard, in on the keep. The ones around
the courtyard and keep were cast in containers with lead shutters so that
the light could be turned down.
4. Magic Mouths were cast everywhere.
5. A number of rooms in the keep held basilisks. These rooms appeared as any
other, but occupants knew to never enter, food was pushed in through a trap
door. The basilisks were the result of the Polymorph Other spell, they were
also given Stoneskin. This provided protection against unwelcome visitors
scouting via the etherial plane, or just plane wandering in.
6. A number of rooms in the keep held trapped aerial servants. These rooms were
prepared much as the basilisk rooms, except they were 100% sealed.
7. A number of rooms in the keep held trapped rust monsters. These rooms were
prepared much as the basilisk rooms, they were given invisibility, armor,
and stoneskin.
8. A number of rooms in the keep held large colonies of yellow mold. These
rooms were prepared much like the basilisk rooms, and some molds became
psionic.
9. A number of rooms below the keep held ustilagors. These psionic molds were a
powerful deterent to nearby psionic users.
10. A number of rooms held traps for unwelcome visitors bearing anti-magic
shell. These rooms had magically-held nasties: a false ceiling full of
preserved brown mold held up with walls of stone spells.
11. Fire-traps and wizard locks on all of Hym's private rooms.
12. Sepia snake spell and explosive runes cast in numerous areas.
13. Glyphs in numerous areas.
14. Avoidance was used to trigger mechanical traps. It was also used to assist
trapped missiles in hitting their targets (esp. the thin glass containers of
greenslime!).
15. Carrion crawlers (invisible, stoneskin, & armor) were kept in a number of
areas.
16. All roof exits were provided with strong iron doors and locks (in case of
aerial attack).
17. A temple to Correllean Larethean was added.
18. A Forbiddence spell was cast on the temple area.
19. Aerial reconnaisance was obtained through the polymorphed aerial creatures.
20. Especially valuable items were kept in small secret compartments (spell
book, gems, jewelry, etc), while imposters, or lesser valued items would be
more easily found.

NOTE: Many garrison members carry the advantage of working for a mage: armor,
stoneskin, invisibility spells; lesser magical items such as potions,
scrolls, anything with Leomunds name on it, etc.

STRENGTHS:

1. The river is too large to fill, prevents a long-term seige, and limits the
space that an invading force can occupy.
2. Any party capable of brute-force muscling their way through these castle
defenses would probably not find anything of value within it (relatively
speaking). That is, if a party of 18th level characters with fifty magical
items each could be found who wanted to attempt it, they might get through
with light to moderate casualties. However, the most valuable magical item
they would find would be Hym's Wand of Polymorphing!
3. There are very many small traps. Sooner or later they would probably get
even the toughest party: all it takes is a missed saving throw on one of
the over 200 fire-traps and all those precious magical items get to save as
well!
4. Reinforcements from the Elvan nation would be available for a long-term
campaign.
5. Hym has a good number of high-level friends that would support him in an
attack from other high-level characters.

VULNERABILITIES:

1. Too small and weak of a garrison to fend off either 5000+ orcs or 6 16th
level characters. The defense would rely too much on the castle leadership -
which is not always there.
2. Difficult to simply ride in and out of this castle. So, if quickly
surrounded, the garrison does not have the option of just riding away. Of
course, they may be able to raft away!
3. Little defense from aerial attack.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:

1. Unfortunately, Hym's alignment kinda ruled out animating scores of undead to
assist in construction and defense.
2. If Hym was higher in level he would have Symbols.
3. If Hym had really high-level psionic buddies he might have gotten one to use
molecular rearrangement to turn an outer layer of lead leaf to adamantite on
all outside walls.
4. If Hym was higher in level, during a major assault he would have thrown a
out a large anchor connected to the front gate by a 50' chain. This anchor
would have a Sympathy spell on it. Imagine the chaos of hundreds of Orcs
dropping everything to fight for possession of the anchor! Perhaps not the
absolute best use of an eighth level spell, but one of the most
entertaining.
5. The Forbiddence spell was only cast upon the temple area because Hym did not
restrict entrance to his castle to just Chaotic Good.
6. The planned for scenario: The orcs attack with a 5000+ army, including
10HD+ leaders, as well as 7th+ lvl shamons, giants, and more... never
happened. This castle was constructed in the twilight years of a ten year
campaign, and all the players slowly drifted away.

TABLE OF COMMON ATTACKS & DEFENSES:

Attack: Masses of scaling troops.
Defense: Tall curtain walls manned by a large number of troops using pole-arms
to push the ladders away.
Or... a good number of magic-users.

Attack: Masses of troops with seige towers.
Defense: Ground that will not support seige towers,
Or... medium-level magic-user.

Attack: Undermining.
Defense: Well, the Romans used to set bronze shields full of water on the
ground. If mining occured nearby the shields would audibly resonate
with the vibrations.
Or... chose a site unsuitable for mining.

Attack: Mirror of the Mental Prowess. Well once I threatened a player by
telling him that I would set up my Mirror far beneath a large lake and
open it up on the top of his keep.
Defense: None that he could think of.

I just bought the 4 ed. players handbook, monster manual, dungeon masters guide, and sreen for a little under $60 (that includes shipping I bought them cheaper with the shipping then going to the store).

I don't really understand how the castle has to do with anything. But besides the point. It is really cool, well thought out and the best use of 60,000 gold I have ever seen.

That castle is amazing, you showed it to me one other time Mike. I don't think we have the right connections to build something quite as magnificent, but building castles isn't out of the question. Pleasantville has shown us that._________________

i wasnt saying anything about you. you and sergio both know a lot more about dnd than i do, and some day i want to be like you guys. Able to know random stuff about it with out looking at the book and then be really good at dm-ing like you